The Only Reason
by TheFoundersDaughter
Summary: Morgana leaves a parting gift for Merlin a few months after the end of Season 4 - a daughter by the name of Maia. Beautiful as her mother, powerful as her father, Maia is the Princess of Camelot that nobody ever expected. [IRREGULAR UPDATES]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, so Merlin had been kidnapped by Morgana for at least two days in 'A Servant Of Two Masters' right? And you're thinking of telling me that NOTHING sexual happened? Pft. Tell me another lie. The whole episode was a sexual innuendo I swear to God. This story is set roughly around seven months after the end of season 4, between nine and ten months after 'A Servant Of Two Masters'.**

_Chapter One: Endings and Beginnings._

She was unaided, untrained, and completely, without a doubt, afraid.

When she had stolen Merlin away, made him her slave, and had one needed, desperate night of passion, she never expected this. On all fours on her rickety bed, in her rock dwelling shack, pushing out a child. She reached up above her to where a rope was strung across the ceiling. Quickly, without thought, she grabbed onto it, pulling herself upright and pushed.

The pain, it hurt her so much. And by God, there was blood. It stained across her sheets and soaked her thighs as she pushed as best as she could, whilst pulling the rope, screaming.

It seemed that all she could do was scream. And then, there was another cry. A new cry, as a wave of relief washed over her. She breathed in deep, gulping gasps, and looked down at the bed. And there she was. A baby. She lay on the bed, wriggling and kicking the air, smothered in the blood of her mother. Her eyes and fists were bunched together, and her mouth was open in a piercing wail. The baby had a head of thick, black curls upon her head.

Morgana reached for a blanket, wincing in pain as she did, and wrapped the baby in it tightly, using a corner of it to clean the blood from her little face.

She smiled brightly, full of happiness, and gave a hysterical giggle of awe and glee. She held the baby girl in her arms, unsure of what to do, except smile. Smile and cry. "Hello…" She rubbed at her face with her spare hand, wiping away her tears. She was both elated and devastated. The infant would have to be taken away soon.

She knew she couldn't keep her here. The woods were full of bandits and knights alike. If any found her, half would rape her before turning her in to Arthur, and the other half would slaughter her and her daughter before she could even cast a protective spell.

Her daughter had to go, and for that, she wept.

-8-

She entered Camelot in the mid-morning, when she knew Merlin would be working.

Her appearance was hidden by a simple glamour, and she wore clothes that appeared that of a commoner. She held her small daughter in her arms, shrouded with blankets. She slept peacefully in her mother's arms, not even guessing that this would be the last few moments she would share with her mother.

Morgana made her way to the Physicians chambers, knowing the way there so well it was almost as if she had never even left Camelot

The door to Gaius's chambers was unlocked, as it always was, and thankfully empty. She didn't want to see Gaius or Merlin or…anyone, really. It would hurt too much to be reminded of what she had lost. Her friends, her brother…and all for a crown she couldn't have cared less about now.

She sat on the patient's bed, rocking her little girl to and fro slowly. She pulled at the small crystal at the hollow of her neck, making the string that tied it there undo itself and fall from her throat, the glamour of the plain peasant disappearing. Morgana was completely vulnerable now, and yet she found she didn't care. She could feel tears welling in her eyes as she started singing a song her own mother had sang to her as a young child. Her throat was thick with tears, and the words were all but incoherent.

There was a folded letter in the pocket of her dress, and she knew she was avoiding getting it out. Today, the day when she left her daughter to an unknown future that she…wasn't a part of, of course she was avoiding it. It was the worst pain she could imagine, short of her baby girl dying. Something she had convinced herself would happen if she let the child stay with her, the only thing making her even consider what she was doing.

She set the sleeping babe on the bed, stroking her tiny features with her fingertips, almost crying out when one of the girl's fists wrapped around her finger. She reached into the pocket of the dress with her spare hand, pulling out the folded parchment, and tucking it between the folds of the blankets wrapped around the child. Kissing the forehead of her baby, she stood and turned, going frigid at the sight of Gaius standing in the doorway, his mouth agape in shock.

"Morgana-"

She raised her hand, cutting him off, "Please…keep Maia safe." She whispered through sobs, "I'm sorry." and was then gone in a gust of wind.

-8-

When Merlin arrived back to his and Gaius' rooms, it was mid-afternoon, and he thankfully had a break from Arthur's chores to go and do some of what he wanted to do. Though he knew Gwen tried with making his load easier, trying to make Arthur give him less chores, it still seemed like he barely had time to think.

He cracked his neck as he stepped through the doorway, closing the door behind him. His eyes caught onto Gaius' back. He was swaying back and forth, bending his knees a little to make him look like he was bouncing a little. He stifled a laugh, "Gaius?"

The old physician turned to him, a small bundle in his arms. He looked at the young warlock darkly, "Merlin."

Merlin furrowed his brows, "What did I do this time?"

Gaius walked up to him and deposited the small bundle of blankets in his arms, "See for yourself."

Merlin looked down at the bundle, surprised to see a little face, barely visible through all of the blanket's that were swathed around the babe. The child's eyes were closed, sleeping no doubt, and Merlin looked at Gaius, immensely confused, "What's a baby got to do with me?" he looked down at the babe again, "Is it sick? Is that why the parents brought it here?"

"That baby has quite a lot to do with you, Merlin." Gaius held out a piece of folded parchment, his name written just above the broken seal that had held the parchment closed. Merlin reached for it, holding the babe with one arm, and after struggling to open it for a few seconds, got the parchment to stay somewhat flat as he started to read.

_Merlin._

_By the time you read this, I shall be long gone. It has been some time since we last saw each other, hasn't it? Months, even. I doubt that you even remember that night, so long ago. But, whether you like it or not, it happened._

_The little girl is called Maia. She is 19, 21, 24 days old, born on the seventh of July. She is our daughter._

_Though it pains me so, I must leave her in your care. What with the whole of Albion hell-bent on finding and killing me, she would not be safe. I think, in the long-run, it would be safer for both her and you, if neither of you ever saw me again. Not until it is safe for you to do so. When that time comes, I shall send word._

_-Morgana._

He read it once, twice, and then a third time just to be sure he was reading the words right. It wasn't possible. It was just not possible that this child was his. He had never bedded Morgana, for he knew he would not have forgotten such a thing. And if this letter was anything to go by, they would have bedded almost ten months ago, around the time that she had set him up to be her secret assassin.

He looked down at the sleeping babe again, then up to Gaius, and simply shook his head, "I don't understand."

"What don't you understand? That you have a child to care for now, or that you had her with Morgana!" Gaius's eyes were like treated steel, sharp enough to cut.

"Both!" he wanted to shout, but the sleeping girl in his arms made him lower his voice to a stage whisper, "I've never been with Morgana, how would I have a child with her?"

Gaius lowered his gaze and sat down on the bench, rubbing his face, "She begged me to keep that child safe, Merlin."

"Who, Morgana? You saw her?"

Gaius nodded, "Only for a moment. She'd put the girl on the bed when I came in, an emotional wreck. She saw me when she turned from the girl, and I saw her face, sopping wet with tears. She said 'Keep Maia safe' and 'I'm sorry.', and used a transportation spell to leave."

"So how can we know if this letter is true? Morgana's lied about things before, no doubt she'd lie about her baby to, if it kept her safe." Merlin sat on the edge of the bed, putting the letter down. "I mean, I'll still help. It's a baby, she doesn't deserve ill treatment just because of her mother."

"Merlin, I believe you should go to Kilgarrah."

"What?"

"He, of all creatures, would know the child's true parentage."

Merlin nodded, "Yeah, that's probably best anyway." He bit his lip for a second, "Gaius, if I'm any good with numeracy, she would have been conceived around the time when I was under the influence of the Femhorrah. You don't think she...?"

Gaius sighed, realisation dawning on him, "She may have."

Merlin muttered something that sounded like a curse and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'll see Kilgarrah tonight." He paused, "What if she is mine?"

"Then you'll act like you're worthy of that little girl."

"No, not that…I mean, I will, but how on earth would I explain this to everyone?"

Gaius smirked a little, "I'm sure a great Warlock like yourself will figure something out."

He was just about to retort, when Maia started crying.

-8-

They always met in this same field. It was only an hour away from Camelot, but it was one of the only ones that he could meet Kilgarrah in. All the others were either too close to the citadel, or were quite a bit too far out for his liking.

He had called for Kilgarrah mere moments ago, and was now looking into the dragons golden eyes, scratching the back of his head with one hand, holding Maia in the crook of his other arm. The dragon looked at Merlin, then Maia, back at Merlin again, and sighed, "What is it that I can do for you this time, Merlin?"

"I…well, you see…Morgana left this little one in mine and Gaius's rooms this morning, leaving a letter saying…well, she said in it that I, um, that I'm her father." Kilgarrah's eyes narrowed just slightly, but kept quiet, "Thing is, I don't remember ever doing…that…with her. I was wondering if there was any way I could, um, tell?"

"If this wasn't such a serious matter, I would be laughing at your bumbling." The dragon sighed again, "There is a way for me to do this. This only works with children born with magic. If she is your child, she will have magic, there is no doubt." Merlin nodded, prepared.

Kilgarrah raised his head, sucking in a deep breath, then blowing onto them both. Merlin noticed, with fascination, that Maia started to glow a lovely golden colour. It took him a moment to realise that he too was glowing. It startled him enough that he didn't see Maia open her eyes. For a second they shone a bright blue, then turned the colour of liquid gold, a sure sign of magic.

Kilgarrah stopped, and looked at the Warlock, whose skin was now fading back to its usual pale pallor. He regarded him for a moment, "It has been foretold that a child born of two sides will rise above the pride and power of men, and bring upon the world a peace never known to mankind. I had not thought to live to see the child. It seems, Merlin, that your union with the Witch has produced yet another child of Prophecy."

Merlin started at that, "Wait, so-"

"The child is yours. What I did, you would only have both glowed if you were parent and child. Both of your magic responded to each other, stronger than normal because of my help. You glowed. She is your child, Merlin."

Merlin looked down at Maia, "But…I never went with Morgana…I don't understand…"

"It is possible that there was spell or potion used to make you forget the event, block it. I can remove the block, if you wish."

"If I don't, will I just not remember, ever?"

"No, you will remember. Your magic is stronger than the Witch's, and would break down the barrier eventually. It would come in dreams most likely."

"Oh. That…makes sense." He shook his head, and looked up from Maia, "I'd rather know, Kilgarrah."

Kilgarrah inclined his head, and breathed upon the Warlock again, and Merlin was overcome by the memories. A day and nights worth that he had never even been aware of. He staggered for a second, then took in a few sharp breaths.

"Oh." He simply breathed, not daring himself to say anything else.

"I must bid you farewell young Warlock. No doubt your King is wondering where you are."

Merlin nodded blankly, "Yeah…thank you."

The dragon flapped his wings, and was gone.

**A/N: I really hope you liked this first chapter. Please review, as they keep me going. If I start to abandon this story, feel free to send me a PM telling me to get my ass into gear, because a message like that surely will!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Please be aware that this chapter has a tiny little M scene at the beginning, but I'm still keeping it T because it's not even really explicit and a twelve year old could probably write better, mainly because I don't write smut… literally any help with writing smut would be welcome. **

**In advance I want to apologise for irregular updates. I haven't posted a story in years and I was never very good with updates even then. Like I said before, if I take too long for your liking, just drop me a PM and I'll get my ass onto it.**

**BUT GUYS! Over 260 hits, 9 reviews, 10 favourites and 20 follows! I COULD KISS YOU ALL!**

_Disclaimer: You do realise that if Merlin belonged to me that Merlin and Morgana would have been in bed by the end of season one, right?_

_**Chapter Two**_

_Skin slick with sweat rubbed and pushed against the skin of the woman who was pushing herself into him, their bodies seeming to fuse together. Thrusts and kisses and caresses led way to moans of pleasure and cries of ecstasy. Pale green eyes caught onto his own blue, her face so close to his, before pushing him backwards onto the bed, her lips capturing his._

_She lifted herself above him, then dropped back down, earning her a gasp from him. She pulled at the hair at the nape of his neck, and he held her at the waist, drawing her closer in, her breasts pushing against his chest, "Merlin…" she whispered-_

He started awake when he heard cries. Groggily looking towards his child, he groaned at the fact that she was now wailing. He just couldn't believe it, she'd been quietly sleeping almost all day, and had decided that the middle of the night would be the perfect time to wake up. Throwing off his blanket, he reached down into the makeshift cot, lifting Maia into his arms.

They'd returned to Camelot only hours ago, Gaius having gone out himself to find a wet nurse. After she'd left, leaving a fed and burped Maia, Merlin had vaguely told him about what Kilgarrah had done to prove the girl's lineage, and the prophecy he had been told. "Prophecies. So many bloody prophecies."

They'd made the babe a bed from a drawer, put a blanket in it to soften the sides and stuffed a pillow at the bottom for her to lie on. They'd had no trouble getting the girl to sleep and into her 'cot', and had afterwards decided that talking would be best left to the morning.

Now the babe had decided that past midnight would be the perfect time to awaken, with high wails and gargles. Merlin rocked her from side to side, quietly shushing her. He stroked at the black tufts of hair on her head, and noted how she seemed to calm a little at the action. Her hair was quite long for a newborn, though it was no secret that a lot of babies were born with heads full of hair, and soft as dowdy feathers. He was vaguely aware of the fact that he was murmuring nonsensical chatter to the girl, calling her pet names and words of endearment.

Maia yawned then, and her fists caught the fabric of Merlin's tunic sleeve, pulling on it as she drifted off again. He decided that putting her down right now would probably be a bad idea, so simply sat on his bed and held her close.

He supposed he must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing he knew he was leaning back against the wall, Maia still tucked into his arms with sunlight streaming into the room. He groaned as he straightened out his back and heard several distinct popping noises.

Time to face the day, he thought wryly.

He left his quarters with Maia in arm, and smiled gratefully at Gaius when a bowl of porridge was slid in front of him at the table. He wanted to devour the food, but knew that inhaling the food would serve only to make him end up waking his daughter.

Gaius sat down on the other side of the bench and looked at him with equalling amounts of curiosity and pride. No doubt the pride was for how well he was taking to being a father, and he well knew that the curiosity was for information about the happenings of the night before. He was sure that the vague information that he had provided that late at night wouldn't suffice for long. Eating slowly also gave him a reason to avoid questions, he thought with a sliver of glee.

"Merlin," Gaius began, "I'm not going to force you to answer any questions I have, but I have to know so that our stories coincide. What are you going to tell people about her?"

Merlin shrugged, "The truth I guess. I can't lie about who her mother is, and I can't deny being her father either."

"Merlin, you realise when people realise whose daughter she is, some will want revenge for what Morgana has done, and see the life of her daughter to be a perfect payment."

"Then they're going to have a hard time getting anywhere near her then, aren't they? I'm not going to let anyone harm my daughter, no matter who her mother is or what she's done. Maia is a child, a baby, and should be treated as such."

Gaius sighed, "As you wish. But please, be careful. If your magic is found out, then Maia will surely perish with you."

"I know Gaius. You needn't fear, nothing will happen to either of-"

He was suddenly cut off by the sound of the door opening. Gwen had a smile on her face as she stepped into the room, and Merlin smiled back, "Gwen."

"Good morning Merlin, Gaius." She looked towards Merlin's arms, and he could see how her eyes lit up, "Oh, how sweet. Whose child is it?"

"I…um…" sharing a quick glance with Gaius, Merlin replied, "Mine."

Gwen started then, looking a little startled as she sat down next to Gaius, "Yours?" after a hesitant nod from Merlin, she carried on, "Merlin…why didn't you tell me you were having a child with someone?"

"Gwen…I didn't even know myself until last night. Her mother left her here yesterday with a letter to…explain."

Gwen had obviously decided that not asking would be a good choice right now, and simply asked, "What's her name?"

"Her mother named her Maia."

"Maia…it's lovely." She smiled at the babe, "Morgana always wanted a daughter called Maia."

"Oh?"

She nodded, "Yes, she was determined that if she ever had a girl it was to be called Maia."

"That's…interesting."

Gwen narrowed her eyes, "Merlin… "

"Yes?"

"Who is Maia's mother?"

Merlin stiffened at the question and glanced at Gaius, who shrugged. Sighing, he reaching for the letter that he had left on the workbench the night before, handing it to Gwen, "Have a look."

Gwen looked at the parchment precariously, her eyes latching onto the name that signed it, and gasped, "Morgana? But, how? When? _Why?"_

"Maia was conceived about ten months ago Gwen… what happened ten months ago?"

Gwen furrowed her brows a moment, then realisation dawned on her, "That snake creature, when she tried to get you to kill Arthur! …oh, what was it called?"

"The Fomorrah." Gaius spoke up.

Gwen smiled gratefully, "Thank you. Yes, that."

Merlin nodded, "I didn't even remember anything. I got my memory back yesterday, after I was given her."

"How?"

"It's…you wouldn't believe me if I told you." He shook his head

"Merlin, please. Give me some credit. I've lived I Camelot my whole life, and not so normal things happen pretty regularly here. Just tell me."

"Well…would you believe me if I told you a dragon gave me my memory back?"

Gwen's eyebrows rose, "Shockingly, I think I would."

"Oh. Okay. Well, a dragon gave me my memory back."

"Do I even want to hazard a guess at why you were near a dragon? They're meant to be extinct."

"No, there are actually two still alive, one is the Great Dragon that attacked Camelot a few years ago…the other is from the egg everyone thought was destroyed."

Gwen narrowed her eyes, "Merlin, how do you know all of this? Nobody knows anything about dragons now, and my father used to tell me when I was young that the only people who used to were the Drag…" her eyes widened as she breathed, "Dragon Lords."

Merlin and Gaius exchanged looks, "Gwen-"

"You're a Dragon Lord! Merlin! Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"What could I say? Being a Dragon Lord is so closely related to being a Warlock it would be on my head if I were to ever say anything."

Gwen looked at him a little disapprovingly, "Oh Merlin, you know Arthur would never do anything to you."

"Uther would have though. He would have used me to get the Great Dragon gone, and then burnt me at the stake. I couldn't risk it." He shook his head ruefully at the same time that Maia woke. Her blue eyes latched onto Merlin's own and she started to gargle while Merlin smiled down at her. He glanced at Gwen, "Do you want to hold her?"

"Oh, could I?"

"Of course you can! She's technically your niece, after all."

"True." She said as Merlin stood and transferred Maia from his arms to Gwen's, and felt himself relax when Gwen gave a lovely smile to the babe – not that he expected any less, she loved children. "How are you going to tell Arthur?"

Merlin sighed, "I'm not sure. He won't take it as calmly as you that's for sure."

"Maybe if you told him that it wasn't consented-"

"No. I'm not going to tell Arthur that Morgana raped me. In any case, it didn't happen like that. I may have been under the influence of the Fomorrah, but it wasn't a forced union." He shook his head, that direction of thought clearly put to a halt.

Gwen sighed, "Gaius? Surely you have an idea?"

Gaius smirked, "Decided to talk to me again, I see?"

"Gaius."

"I think that the truth would be the best thing. He'll be angry for a short while, then dote over his niece. Since, technically, she is a Lady." He smirked again, "Why, he might even give you a raise, Merlin."

-8-

The wet nurse came a while after Gwen left. She and Merlin had agreed to talk to Arthur later in the day, letting Gwen keep him occupied and calm for the time being. The wet nurse's name was Kiara, a young mother from the lower towns who had a babe of her own a little older than Maia.

Gaius had helped her during her birth, as he did with many of the women in Camelot, and she had been happy to help. Gaius himself had gone to give out his rounds, something which Merlin was grateful for.

As Maia was fed, it gave Merlin time to think. Arthur would react…terribly. He was wondering if bringing Maia would be a help or hinder. He was sure that it would curb Arthur's temper, if even for a short while if he brought her, but he sincerely didn't want to risk Maia's safety by letting her be in the presence of an angered Arthur.

"Gaius, I'm going to leave Maia here when I see Arthur tonight, is that okay?" he asked the old physician as he watched him tinkering with his glass vials and brews.

"Merlin, I am not a nanny."

Merlin snorted at the mental image of Gaius in a dress, carrying one child as another ran around his feet, "I know that. I just don't want to take Maia near Arthur yet. You know what his temper is like, and if I have to tell him about…" he lowered his voice a little, "…the dragon. Well, I don't want her around when he blows up."

"Are you going to tell him about your other talents?"

Shrugging non-comittedly, Merlin replied, "Maybe. I'm not sure. He's a better man than his father, that much is obvious, but he's still against the idea of…" he trailed off, leaving the meaning in air between them. He didn't want to say very much in front of Kiara.

"Indeed." Gaius sighed, setting down the Pestle and Mortar he had been grinding Lavender in. He spoke in a quiet voice now, "Still, I think that in this instance, it may be in your best interest to just tell him the whole truth. Gwen will be there with you both, and when you tell him about being a Dragonlord, he's going to suspect that you're a sorcerer too. You might as well come out with the whole truth."

Merlin rubbed at his face, "So does this mean you'll look after Maia?"

**A/N2: As you can see, I am much better at writing conversations than I am at writing what is actually going on. Probably my own fault, seeing as when I read a book I find myself automatically just reading dialogue. Oops. Reviews would be welcome, and any and all criticisms are encouraged. Up next chapter, **


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